Cat's night in
by Blue Rubin
Summary: A cute story at the beginning of summer vacation. Is related to ep 26 a little, amu/ikuto pairing....please r&r..intended as a one-shot...developed into a chapter-story
1. Chapter 1

**It was first intended as a one-shot but I kinda got carried away and felt the need to include more ideas in just one story. So, instead of having a sequal I decided on making it a multiple chapter story. Thanks for the reviews so far. I wrote this chapter during extremely late hours, so gomene for the spelling mistakes. I just re-edited it so i hope there are no more mistakes, but if you indeed find any, don't hesitate to bring it to my attention. ...i don't own shugo chara or any of the characters present. Hope you like my story! It takes place in the summer hollidays before Amu becomes a sixth year. **

Cat's night in.

Chapter 1

Amu let her head rest on her desk, enjoying the fact that the wooden surface offered a cold comfort to her forehead. It was indeed a very hot and dry summer. As she just stood there, she could hear her three guardian characters snore or talk in their sleep. It turned out that even for Ran, the weather was far too hot. And so, the pink guardian, along with her two companions, the now constantly grumpy Miki and the light-headed Suu, were secluded to just enjoying a prolonged sleep, almost all day.

One week had already passed since she last saw the jack of her team, Kukai. Him and Nadeshiko were now gone. At that thought, Amu couldn't retain a sigh from disrupting the harmonious snoring and mumbling coming from the miniature guardians. It was really going to be weird to return to that school, knowing that her best friend and the ever smiling brotherly jack wouldn't be there to greet her.

Razing her head and stiffening her back, Amu forced herself to wake up from that dull lifeless state. But, the instant she saw the soft welcoming bed to her right, she couldn't withstand the urge to let herself throb on to the soft pink covers. Silence fallowed.

"Demo, sa…." She began, a discreet smile resting on her lips. "It's just another beginning. For all of us." She whispered.

"Nani sore!" Miki muffled, rubbing her eyes. "What's just a beginning?"

"Awake already?" Amu smirked at the blue chibi. Along with Miki, the other two guardians had decided to end their siesta for the moment. Despite the heat and their preference to stay put and continue sulking, they started hovering around the pink-haired teenager, sensing that anew, something was troubling the teen.

"Daidjobu Amu-chan?" Ran called.

"I'm fine." Amu nodded. "It's just that…"

The three miniature guardians watched their fighter intently, as the pink-haired teen let her gaze stray towards the window.

"It's gonna be weird, a little. Won't it? But, I'm sure it's going to be another adventure. It's just another beginning."

Suu had a wide smile plastered on her face, as Ran started cheering after her own melody. Miki just approved by nodding energetically. As if struck by lightning, the blue guardian then took her sketch book from her patch and only after a few minutes, produced a master-piece replica of the photo that the five teen guardians had taken during their school year. Quickly enlarging it, she passed it on to the girl, who, smiling at the sight pressed it against her chest. Again resting her gaze on the evening sky, she couldn't help but feel a warm feeling spreading throughout her chest.

"Sugoi, ne, she then called, how the sky changes but still stays the same? I guess that there's nothing wrong with change then, after all!" She concluded, having a warm smile gracing her lips. Her guardians seemed to have recovered from the frustrating heat and where hovering joyfully around the girl, giggling with delight.

Slowly, the night fell and a refreshing breeze turned the hot atmosphere into a pleasant cool state. Opening the door to her balcony, she let her elbows rest on the wooden railing. She hadn't left her home for the past week feeling a little slumped despite the energetic speech she had laid down before her friends.

"I think I'll go for a walk tomorrow." She uttered, generating a joyful dance from her three chibi friends.

"Guess you're still too young to go out at this hour." A rugged voice called from behind her. Amu couldn't help but jump at the startling outburst and regrettably landed on her derrière before recognizing the cat like figure the voice belonged to.

"Ikuto! Don't startle me like that! Mataku!" Amu started hollering, a pink flush covering her cheeks as her gaze met the cool blue stare of the newly arrived. The little neko guardian, Yoru was sitting comfortably on Ikuto's shoulder, his paws unsuccessfully trying to hide his amused sniggering.

"What are you doing here?" Amu continued yelling desperately, trying to hide her embarrassment.

"You want to tell the whole neighborhood about my visit?" Ikuto uttered calmly.

Rising to her feet and trying to control her temper as well as her furious flush, she lowered her tone. "You haven't answered my question."

"We just decided to drop by and pay you guys a visit, nja." Yoru announced.

"Nani?" Amu looked at him dumbstruck. "Why would you want to visit me?"

Ikuto gazed at her lazily before intending to turn around. "Forget it." Just as he wanted to spring away, he gave a soft but noticeable wince as he pressed against his left foot. Before he could react, he was slipping of the railing. However, fragile arms rapped themselves around his waste, preventing him from falling.

……………………………………………………………………

"You got into another fight, didn't you?" Amu uttered, narrowing her eyes at the cat-like figure now lying in her room, resting his back against the bed-frame. He needn't answer, as the scratches on his face and ripped clothes were enough of an answer.

Ikuto didn't respond, gazing at the wall opposite the girl.

"Fine then! Don't move." She stated, before starting to rumble through her closet and drawers.

"I'm fine." Ikuto uttered bluntly as he tried to stand up and make his way towards the balcony. But different injuries on his limbs prevented that from happening. He had managed to rise to his feet, and support himself against the bed but instantly crushed on to the soft sheets. The three guardians along with the newly arrived Yoru had been sitting on the same place up till now, and were forced to undertake a panicked evacuation of the bed in order to prevent themselves from being crushed by his body. Ignoring the frantically breathing guardians, Amu quickly rushed to Ikuto's side, with a first aid kit in her arms.

"Honestly, can't you stay still for a few minutes?" Amu thundered, concern written all over her face. The cat-like figure, on the other hand, had annoyance streaming out of his angry gaze. He once again tried to raze his body but had to face anew defeat. The only thing he managed to achieve was to turn onto his back.

"That's enough!" Amu called, clutching his right arm. She instantly backed away at recognition of her actions, but couldn't help scolding the dark haired teen.

"Look, it's not like I care for you, or something. But if you could just stay put for a few seconds, maybe I could nurse your wounds and then, enable you to go home without stumbling and falling down at every step!" she called, trying to use her cool character on him.

Ikuto wasn't at all convinced of her disinterest in his well-fare. His smirk arose another rush of blood to stir up a furious blush to cover her cheeks. Noting his exhausted sigh, she regained her calm state, as he finally gave in.

"Fine. Whatever you want."

The girl then started cleaning and bandaging his wounds, while her three chibi guardians were somehow trying to do the same for the also wounded Yoru. But, due to their enthusiasm, the only result of their care was a desperate neko-guardian fleeing for his life from them.

Again ignoring the commotion, Amu found herself requiring:

"What happened? How did you manage to get these wounds, and why did you come to my house?"

"Yoru was the one to suggest your house."

The guardian in question decided to hide under the covers next to his master.

"I'm regretting ever suggesting it, nja!" they heard him muffle.

"Really, you're just like an ally-cat." Amu sighed, closing the lid of the first aid kit. Taking a fresh napkin, she started wiping Ikuto's forehead and cheeks. At this, he clutched at her hand, pulling her closer to him, so that her face was just inches above his own.

"Why are you so nice to me?" he smirked.

Again, her face received a pink flush as she started stuttering.

"I…I told you,…I...you…the sooner you get better…th..the sooner you can get out of…of here."

"Soka?" he whispered ruggedly.

Amu felt her face catch fire as she couldn't help gazing into his catlike hypnotizing eyes. And yet she managed to get an exceeded control over herself, enabling her to pull back and free herself from his grasp.

"And what do you expect me to do? I can't just leave you there, like this!" she mumbled angrily.

The boy just smiled. "Kawai."

At this, Amu found herself shoving the napkin unladylike into his face and storming to the other side of the room.

"Ah, that HURT!" she heard Ikuto call.

All the while, the three female guardians had managed to capture Yoru and rap him from head to toe in bandages. Amu noticed the little mummy lying between her three chibi friends and could help but sigh. Gently taking the neko guardian in her hands, his twitching ears sticking out from underneath the bandages, she carefully started unwrapping the little figure. Yoru finally recovered from his fellow guardians' nursing attack, and patted his head on the place where Amu had gently placed a simple bandage.

"Arrigato, Amu-chan." Yoru beamed gratefully.

"Sorry about that, Yoru." Amu sighed apologetically. She then returned to Ikuta's side, apparently ignorant to his satisfied smirk.

"How are you feeling?"

"Better." He responded calmly.

Amu was just about to voice her wish for him to stay there for the night, in order to let his wounds heal, when a knock on the door and a joyful call made the blood in her veins freeze.

"Oh no!" Amu mumbled.

"Amu-chan? Can I come in?" her mother's voice called.

"One-chan! Ami's voice hollered from beyond the door.

All six figures froze at that sound.

……………………………………………………………………..

The door cracked open, Amu's head popping from behind the wooden frame. "What is it mother? Ami-chan?" she smiled.

"Amu-chan…eto…" Her mother frowned..." Can we come in?"

Before the girl could respond, the door of her room burst open, her father and mother throwing suspicious looks throughout the room.

They're gazes fell on the bed.

"Amu-chan?"…her father stared.

"Amu-chan, why in the world are all those clothes piled up on your bed?" her mother stated.

"No reason." Amu stated bluntly. Noticing that her father started snooping through her room, she gently sat herself atop the piled clothes. _"Gomene, Ikuto!" _

"May I ask what you are doing snooping around in my room?" she asked bluntly, her calm features succeeding in hiding her true exasperation.

Her father had gone to the extend of looking underneath her bed and even searching her balcony before, relieved, collapsing in the middle of her room.

"Thank heavens! It was just our imagination."

"Honestly dear. You have exaggerated this time." her mother sighed.

Amu crossed her arms calmly, faking disregard and awaiting her family's answer. "Well? Oto-san?"

"Well, her father started, you will laugh but I thought I heard a male voice coming from you room."

Amu exceeded herself by throwing her father a disbelieving glare under which he instantly froze.

"Gomenasai! Amu-chan!"

"What makes you think, she started faking annoyance, that I would hide a boy in my room!"

"Well, you see, I…" her father began.

"Dear, I think that's enough." Her mother declared, smiling apologetically towards her daughter. "Let's go."

At her father's frail attempts to ask for forgiveness, Amu turned cold and answered bluntly.

"Whatever. It was a mistake. Good night."

Ami had decided to release the three guardians from her suffocating embrace and walk towards her parents, who started cheering their little girl for her cute little tender steps and her sweet smile. Amu had just about enough of her distrusting, not to mention disrupting family, when her mother uttered one last request before forcing her husband and daughter out of Amu's room.

"So da ne, Amu-chan, could you house-sit tomorrow?'

"Sure." Amu responded coolly.

"Ami-chan's been invited to a birthday-party, and since the parents are some old friends of ours, they invited us as well."

"No problem." Amu nodded calmly.

"I hope you haven't made any plans for tomorrow?" her mother asked concerned.

"As I said before, no problem."  
Her parents resorted to their usual praises of her cool and reliable character before finally leaving her alone, Amu calmly closing the door behind them. When she was finally certain of their absence, she let a deep sigh escape her lips before sinking to her knees, resting against the doorframe. "That was a close one!" she exhaled.

……………………………………………………………………

Ikuto wasn't sure of the momentary happenings when he found himself buried underneath a large bundle of girl clothes._ "This is completely ridiculous."_ Just as he was about to rebel against the current actions, he heard the loud bang generated by the door being slammed against the wall. He didn't dare move a muscle and had to suppress a scream when Amu sat herself on his bandaged leg.

Listening closely to the conversation at hand, not because of interest, but due to lack of choice, he couldn't help being somewhat impressed and likewise disturbed by the cool manner in which Amu had behaved towards her own family. The last part of their conversation had generated a mixed feeling of anger and sadness within him.

……………………………………………………………………

The three guardians opened their egg-case to release the miniature neko from its prison.

"That was close, nja! Good work Amu-chan! Sugoi, nja!"

Ikuta watched the girl calmly place her clothes back into her drawers and closet, doing her best to hide distinct pieces of lingerie from his sight. Her attempts where however, unknown to her, in vain.

"So this is the character you were talking about." He concluded as she finished sorting her belongings and sat next to him.

Amu gazed at him for a moment before giving a small smile. "Yeah, that's about it."

"Weren't you planning on going out tomorrow?" he continued calmly.

She threw him an inquiring look before recalling her wish voiced on her balcony. "Oh, yeah. Well, guess I changed my plans."

Ikuto couldn't help but gaze at her thoughtfully before giving a deep sigh.

"I think I'd better go." he concluded.

"No, you can't!" Amu found herself pressing him against the bed. "You're in no condition to move your limbs. Stay here for the night, at least."

Ikuto couldn't help but smirk. Amu's innocent intent was clear to him, yet he couldn't retain giving her a special yet conclusive remark.

"You want me to sleep here for the night? I suppose in the same bed as you."

Amu's cheeks caught fire once again as she quickly jumped away from the bed.

"N…no..no way! That…that's not what I…I mean…I….." Clenching her fists and trying to regain her calm state, she couldn't help but glare at the smirking Ikuto. "Pervert!" she hissed before thrusting a pillow in his face.

………………………………………………………………………

It had already passed midnight and two of the six figures were still awake. Amu had prepared herself a mattress and covers on the floor next to her bed, leaving Ikuto to regain his strength on her bed. Yoru and the three guardians had fallen fast to sleep, whiles Amu's eyes were still wide open. Ikuto had his back turned towards her but was aware of her woken state.

The pink-haired teen was feeling far too energetic to fall asleep. She felt this urge to go out on the balcony. And then, there was this second wish, which she knew she would regret if voiced or even thought clearly through. Deciding on fulfilling her first desire, she quietly slipped from under her sheets and walked towards the balcony door.

Just before she could open it, she heard her name being whispered by a certain cat-like man. Turning her head she saw Ikuto supporting himself with one elbow and signing her to come to him with his free hand.

"Nani?" Amu whispered as she reached the side of his bed.

"Come closer." Ikuto whispered. "I don't want to wake them." Two different types of snoring and light mumbling could be heard coming from the guardians' direction.

Amu recalled a similar situation happening before, and decided to cover her years with her hands before leaning towards the smirking teen.

"What?" she whispered.

Little wasn't her surprise when she found herself whisked into Ikuto's arms and placed on the bed next to him, Ikuto hovering over her the moment after.

"You're such a bother, you know that?" Ikuto smirked.

Amu was speechlessly staring into his blue orbs.

Slowly lowering his head, his lips inches away from hers, he whispered.

"Who told you to take a stray cat in? I can't recall ever asking you to do that. But, he smirked, I guess I have to thank you for being so nice to me."

"You don't have to thank me." Amu managed to respond before feeling her throat run dry.

"What if I want to thank you." She heard him utter before feeling his lips pressed against her own. Her cheeks were burning and she was expecting her heart to beat its way out of her chest. Slowly closing her eyes she felt his lips parting, his toung caressing her own tender lips, begging to let him in. She gingerly headed his wish and felt her whole body tremble once he entered.

Amu was overwhelmed by the sudden heat rushing through her body. She didn't know if it was from his kiss or from the fact that she was lying in his arms. But her whole being told her that she didn't want to loose that warmth. Not daring to open her eyes, she kept them tightly closed and felt his embrace tighten. Her head was buried in his chest , his sent making her limbs tremble. If this was a dream, her deepest wish was to never wake from it.

………………………………………………………………………

The sun's raze caressed her cheek and forcefully opened her eyes. Quickly rising into sitting position, she scrutinized her room and found that except her and her three guardians, the room was empty.

She gave herself a swift knock on the head. _"Baka, that would never happen!" _Wanting to laugh about her own silly dreams and wishes, she sighed deeply before getting out of bed. Just then she saw the mattress next to the bed and the first aid-kit lying near by. Her eyes widened with realization as she touched her lips with her fingertips.

" Masaka…!"

...

**ok, there it is. Please r&r. I'm not sure about Amu's age but, let's just consider her being ...15...just to make it legal. I'm probably way off and she's much younger, but I feel kinda guilty writing about a relationship between Ikuto - we all know how he's like - and a younger girl than 15... well, ja na.:) **


	2. Chapter 2

**okguys, second chapter up! You can't complain, cause I outdid myself and wrote ten pages. I won't be cruel and rather than posting it in two separate chapters, i decided to post my work all at once. Thank you for the reviews. There's gonna be a third chapter as well. Hope you enjoy my story...the same idea - don't own shugo chara - and, if you find any spelling mistakes, please bring it to my attention. Enjoy. **

Chapter 2.

The cold water splashing against her skin helped her get out of the dreamy unreal state she had been in for the past three hours. Her parents had left the house under her care for the rest of the day. Knowing her parents, she was certain that they wouldn't be back before mid-night. But that was not a nagging issue at the moment. After last night, she couldn't care less of their annoying manner to outstretch any partying limits. She was actually quite pleased to be alone, as strange as it would appear at first. She could hear her guardians' joyful giggling coming from the kitchen. But again, her attention was set on a more preoccupying matter. Swiftly drying her face and glancing at the pink-haired teen with golden eyes staring at her in the mirror, she gaveanother deep sigh, trying to get rid of the current exasperation that was resting within her. Every time she closed her eyes, she found herself staring into Ikuto's piercing gaze. Instantly, her cheeks began to burn and she would resolve to opening her eyes and grunt annoyingly. Amu was certain that her frustration was generated by her mixed feelings and utmost surprise that her first kiss had been stolen by _a perverted low-life of an ally-cat. _But a small voice inside her kept uttering a most ridiculous impression that the reason for her discontent was actually the fact that Ikuto hadn't been there the moment after, and that each time she would close her eyes, she was hoping to find herself in his arms again.

"No, no NO! That's not it!" she started hollering at her reflection. "I do NOT want him here! That…that…pervert!" she scolded her flushed image.

"Amu-chan?" a squeaked voice called from outside the bathroom. "Daidjobu?"

"Hai! Daidjobu desu!" Amu called back, trying to hide her exasperation.

Her three guardians were now hovering next to the bathroom door, concern bearing its mark on them. Amu gave one more sigh before exiting the secluded space. She wasn't sure if she should confide in her three chibi-friends about last night's event. It wasn't that important, after all. _It was my first kiss! Of course it's important!_ the voice within her fumed.

Little wasn't her surprise to find her guardians as animated as the furious voice of her inner self in finding the reason of her discontent. _"Damn, I'm cornered!"_ she frowned while giving a nervous laugh at the chibis' sever glances.

"Amu-chan! Say it!" Miki hollered while menacing the teen with her pen and sketch-board. Ran followed her example, holding her cheering muffs at eye-level, her gaze piercing the reluctant teenager. Suuwas hovering above Amu, frowning with her arms crossed.

"I see you're not in an all too good mood today?" Amu remarked giving them a nervous smile.

Miki couldn't help but grunt. "How can you expect us to be in a good mood after having spent a night in the same room as that baka neko? I couldn't get onewink of sleep!" As her fellow guardians gave her an unbelieving stare, she continued rampaging.

"Well you two didn't have any problems snoring and sharing recipes in your sleep, but I had to listen to your concert all night!" Miki pouted.

"Gomene Miki." Ran muffled behind her puffs. Suu nodded energetically while flying to her companion's side. As Amu followed the chibis' feet to apologize, she prayed that Miki hadn't, by chance, seen or heard her falling asleep with Ikuto in the same bed. Just as she was about to get her hopes up and decide to put the matter aside, she saw Miki's face froze.

"Wait a second!" the blue guardian gasped, her little blue orbs widening. Amu couldn't help feeling suspense at her sudden bewildered look.

"That Yoru took my spare pouch!" she thundered, making Amu retain herself from falling over.

"Soka?" the teen sighed, rubbing the back of her head.

"That stealing little ally-cat!" Miki went about, flying towards Amu's bedroom to check if her suspicions were well based. Amu had managed to recollect her calm when a sudden shrill scream disrupted their household. Miki appeared in an instant, stopping right in front of Amu's face, with an unbelieving stare covering the chibi's features.

"Amu-chan! What where you doing with Ikuto in the same bed?" Miki exhaled at which her guardian companions froze in mid-air, robotically turning their heads towards the sweat-dropping teen.

"Nani?" Ran called, while Suu acted an elegant pirouette out, before falling flat on the table.

"Wait, wait!" Amudenied their unspoken accusations, her hands trying to wave their shocked stares off. "You've got it all wrong!" she hollered, exasperation now clearly notable in her tone. "It was just a kiss!"

"NANI?"

……………………………………………………………………..

Amu had finally managed to put her foot down on the situation at hand, and after a loud dispute involving blushed cheeks, unbelieving and ashamed stares and Amurampaging through the whole house, all four figures managed to calm down. The teen regaining her controlled state, began to explain the true manner in which the events had taken place. Her three guardians, hovering aboveher, each with a different attitudes towards the past happenings, were pondering in silence. After a while, all three fell to an agreement and gave Amu a sly smug.

"Ne, Amu-chan, you really like Ikuto, don't you?" Ran chirped.

"Sugoi! So romantic!" Suu began day-dreaming, her green orbs gaining a heart-like shape. Miki however, remained silent, her cheeks gaining a light red tone, as her thoughts wondered to a certain cat-like guardian. Yoru's image appeared in front of her eyes, the neko giving her a dazzling smile with the ever present "nja" ending.

"IEEE!" Miki hollered, snapping out of her dreaming state, her cheeks burning bright red. She then started scribbling furiously on her sketch pad and produced in an instant a dispatched portrait of Ikuto and Yoru, their cat-ears sticking out and a sly devilish smug covering both their faces.

"That perverted neko!" Miki pouted. Amu took the drawing and gazed at it for a moment before giving another deep sigh and giving it back to Miki, who instantly launched an anti-neko campaign.

"We've got to protect Amu-chan from that hentai!" she called, Ran and Suu following her example back and nodding energetically. "He'll misuse Amu-chan's innocent and trusting character!" the chibi went on, at which the teen retained herself from giving any responds but sighed deeply, letting her head sink.

………………………………………………………………………

The afternoon proved itself to be calm and uneventful. Amu had tried reading different magazines and surfed through the tv-channels, finding it all rather disinteresting. The one thing that indeed amused her was the manner in which her guardians approached their mission of protecting her from Ikuto, patrolling around her in military fashion and acting out like professional soldiers.

The day passed by quit quickly and Amu found herself staring at the clock in her room showing the exact time of 7:OO pm. The sun had already set and she admired the pink-shaded night sky. She was once again on her balcony, leaving the door behind her open, in case her parents would decide to call her and notify that they'd be coming sooner than expected.

She stood there and watched the sky darken to an almost complete black color, except for the bright moon shining from behind the clouds ever so often. Despite the pleasant breeze, she decided to go inside her room, taking out something most uncharacteristically for her. Her homework. Sighing deeply at the sight of her complicated math problems, she started scribbling through her notepad. Her gaze fell upon a futile sketch she occupied her time with, during one especially boring math class. At first it was intended to be the prince, but then she found that it bare more resemblance with a cat-like figure than with Tadase. She even went to the extent of encircling it with a pink heart frame. Sighing, she sank into her sketch, her gaze being glued to the little cat-ears that dominated her drawing.

Just then a knock on the glass-frame from the balcony awoke her from her dazed state. She turned her head to find a smiling Yoru waving his little paw at her, holding in his other paw a small blue pouch.

"Neko-hentai!" she heard Miki holler. Narrowing her eyes, Amu then noticed the tall sleek figure resting against the frame in the shadows, next to Yoru. She rushed towards the balcony, opening the door. The little cat-like figure was the first to enter her room, being almost violently attacked by her three guardians.

"Gomenasai nja! I brought it back, already! Stop it nja!"

Ikuto decided to watch his guardian being attacked from a far distance, leaning against the open frame. Just then, the guardians left the dazed neko-guardian flouting unconsciously through the air and started hovering around the unsuspecting Ikuto.

"Nekomimi hentai cosplay otoko!" all three chibis flunged at him. " Don't dare touch Amu-chan!" They started playing out their strategic military formation in front of him, leaving Amu to watch them in amasement, embarasment and a hint of amusment.

Ikuto gave a curt smile to the colorful bunch before calling out to Yoru. "Let's go." The miniature neko rufflyshook his head before flying towards his master and exiting Amu's room.

Just as he intended to leave the teen's house, Ikuto found himself facing a neigbourhood sulked in darkness. He remained in place at the sound of Amu's shaking tone, vocing the power-outage. Turning around, he saw the pink-haired teen trying to surpress the fright that overcame her with the newly arrived darkness surrounding her.

"Ano, she heard him state, are you afraid of the dark?" His cat-eyes scrutinized the from head to toe shaking teenager, as she violently waved the concept of fright off. "N..no, not in the least. Not me!" she almost shouted.

"Then why are you shaking?" he continued, now facing her.

"It's not like I'm afraid of the dark! You're completely wrong!" she stated, her body now stiff. "It just got a little colder because I had to open the door frame."

"I see." he concluded. Reaching out behind him, he closed the doorframe, while following Amu's increasingly frantic movements. "How about now?" he then announced.

"Mm…much better!" Amu chirped nervously.

The teen was now throwing her gaze frantically through the room, hating every bit of her momentary situation. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and tried to regain her calm. She was, after all, not alone. She had the guardians and Ikuto by her side. At that thought, her cheeks threatened to blush but she managed to suppress it. Sighing she opened her eyes, ready to jump at the sight of Ikuto's glowing blue orbs staring her right in her face, him being closer than she had last taken into account.

"Ah!" she squeaked, backing away. Ikuto narrowed his eyes as he kept himself bent to her eye-level. "You're scared." He concluded bluntly.

"Am not!" Amu repelled. "I was just trying to remember where the control panel was. Besides, being afraid of the dark is something for five-year olds!"  
The shrill sound of the phone ringing made Amu give another yelp of fright before unconsciously jumping into Ikuto's arms. The boy held her shaking body with great care against his own, while announcing the origin of her frightening sound.

"The phone." Ikuto stated.

Amu's eyes widened with embarrassment as she quickly backed away. "I know that!' she stated, suppressing the urge to gulp loudly at the thought of having to go downstairs in order to answer the phone.

"What?" Ikuto asked calmly.

"Nothing!" Amu jumped. "I'm going to answer the phone now!" she declared, intending to exit her room, but was paralyzed by the complete darkness that ruled over her household. Determined to put her non existent fear aside, one that didn't fit her character in the least, she took another deep breath before marching down the stairs and reaching the entrance hallway.

"Amu-chan!" she heard her guardians squeak before sensing them hover next to her.

"I can't see my hand in front of my face." Amu sighed, succeeding in hiding her former nervous tone.

"Give me your hand." she heard Ikuto utter, and found herself being pulled by him in the desired direction. She determined a pare of yellow eyes hovering next to Ikuto to be Yoru, who had began to explain the feline senses that Ikuto possessed. "Let us cats lead the way nja." Amu then felt her hand being laid on a familiar plastic object, from which the former ringing sounded anew. Picking up the phone she heard her mother's voice call joyfully to her.

"Amu-chan! What took you so long?"  
"I was in the bathroom." Amu lied coldly.

"Soka. Are you okay? I understand that there's a power outage in the neighborhood."

"I'm fine." Amu added coolly. "Why'd you call?"

"Oh, sa, ne, Amu-chan. Well, we decided to spend the night here and won't come home until tomorrow afternoon. Is that ok?"  
"Why wouldn't it be?"

"Well, you used to be afraid of the dark, didn't you?"

"I'll be fine. Is that all?"  
"Ah, arrigatou, Amu-chan. I knew we could rely on you. Well then, Oyasumi nasai. Take care."  
"I will, dja na." Amu heard her father call from her mother's side and greeted him as well before ending their conversation.

Ikuto had followed the conversation as it was rather hard not to hear the loud animated voice of Amu's mother at the small distance he was from the phone.

"Aren't you the responsible one." he commented, watching Amu stare at the phone with a terrified look on her face. Closing her eyes tightly, she let her voice create the image of the cool nerveless teen she was known to be. "Probably. Anyway, you should be going. I don't want to keep you from any important affairs."

"Is that so?" Ikuto frowned, watching Amu slowly turn around and head for her room.

"Yeah. I'll be seeing you." she called almost joyfully, while taking the stairs step by step. A loud bump coming from the kitchen made her freeze. Her whole body began to tremble as she crumbled, hugging her knees to her chest. Biting her lip to keep herself from shouting or showing any more signs of fright, she resided to just sitting there in the darkness, her ears on the watch for any more sounds.

Just then, she found herself whisked into Ikuto's arms and gave the blue cat-like orbs an unbelieving stare as he carried her to her room. "Bothersome." he sighed, as he laid her on her bed. "Where do you keep your candles?"

Amu kept staring at him bewildered by the simple question. "I…in, the kitchen, first drawer to your right." She finally voiced. Ikuto vanished in the darkness once more, only to reappear minutes after, carrying a number of lit candles in his hands, which he spread across the room, creating a golden hallow glow throughout the secluded space. The three chibis followed Ikuto's every action, admiring him rather than suspecting any foul play at hand. Yoru had managed to bring a candle to his fellow companions, who were, similar to their master, in a frozen state of fright. Amu couldn't help but give Ikuto a radiant and grateful smile as he finally finished his mission and sat himself next to her on the bed.

"Arrigatou Ikuto! Hontoni…" she started beaming.

"For what? I thought you weren't afraid of the dark?" he smirked.

"Wh…who said I was?" Amu repelled strongly. "You moved faster, that's all. I could have done it as well, but I would have tripped a lot before finding my way in the dark. Not all of us have cat-eyes, you know?" she pouted.

Ikuto couldn't help but catch the girl by the chin and smiling at her wide open golden eyes and faint flushed cheeks, he whispered huskily:

"I won't buy your cool composed routine, so stop playing that role. You don't have to do that in front of me." Amu stared in his piercing blue eyes and felt her cheeks catch fire. She pulled herself away from Ikuto's grasp and lowered her gaze to the ground.

"Thank you, anyway." she whispered.

"Well then." he concluded, rising to his feet. "I think I'll go." Tilting his head to the side in order to watch the surprised teen from the corner of his eye, he added "Unless you want me to stay?" As if bitten by a snake, Amu jumped to her feet while thundering.

"Why would I want you to stay, you stealing ally-cat?"

"Very well. I'll be seeing you." he uttered. Just then, another noise coming from the kitchen made Amu freeze in her tracks, her frightened stare directed towards the door. The guardians were all huddled up around Yoru, Miki even hanging frantically around his neck. The neko did his best to hide his satisfied smirk and curled his paw around the blue chibi, before assuring the other two guardians of their safety.

"Whh…whh...what was that?" Amu managed to call.

"The doors and floors are cracking. It's nothing out of the ordinary." Ikuto noted, leaning against the wall, next to the bed.

Slowly, soft prickles of water could be heard smashing against the windows. It had begun to rain. All six figures watched the rain tense and before long, they heard the first thunder.

In her mind, Amu was cursing all her fears and weaknesses. The two most dominating fears she possessed was that of the darkness, and the paralyzing fright of …

A second blast of rough thunder erupted, generating a scream from the teen, who quickly fell on her knees, covering her head with her arms.

Ikuto's eyes widened at the sight of the shacking huddle. He began bearing a mark of concern at the sound of silent sobs coming from it. Slowly nearing the huddle, he kneeled next to it, his ears catching the whispered shaking words Amu was voicing between sobs.

" I hate it. I hate it. Make it stop! Please, make it stop!"

……………………………………………………………………

Holding the shaking body tight against his own, he slowly whispered with the softest tone he could muster comforting words in Amu's ear, as both lay on her bed.

Miki, once realizing she had been clutching at the neko, swung her sketch-pad in his face, before hovering next to Ran and pouting. Yoru could only give an amused "nja" and rub the place he had been attacked in with his puffy paw. All four guardians hearing Amu's scream at the sound of the first thunders, watched as Ikuto picked the shacking bundle in his arms and laid it next to him on the bed, caressing her back as he whispered something in her ear, ignoring the raging storm outside. All three guardians followed this wide-eyed and with a bright flush across their delicate faces.

"See, Ikuto's not such a bad guy after all, nja." Yoru concluded grinning. "Well, I'll be going to sleep now. Oyasumi nasai, nja!"

At this Ran jumped at him. "What do you mean, going to sleep?" she started objecting.

Yoru just smirked, pointing at their masters. "We're not going anywhere tonight, nja." Ran reluctantly let him walk to his former sleeping place.

"Daidjobu Ran." she heard Miki call from a far. The blue chibi was still following the two fighters, with a bright smile on her face. " They won't disturb." Both Ran and Suu gave their companion a surprised stare at first, but exchanging joyful nods, they both hovered towards their shells, a content smile plastered on their faces.

………………………………………………………………………

The candles slowly went out, leaving the six figures to fall asleep without any disturbance. The thunder had subsided and the only thing left to be heard, was the soft patting of the rain-drops against the windows and glass-frame of Amu's balcony.

Ikuto listened to Amu's soft breathing, convinced that she had fallen asleep. Her cheeks were still wet from tears but her features were calm and relaxed. Just as he was about to close his eyes, he felt her fists tighten on his chest. Slowly, she opened her golden eyes and met his calm gaze.

"Ikuto." She whispered, her cheeks catching a faint shade of red. "A…arrigatou. Gomenasai."

"What for?" he asked coolly. He received an unbelieving and nervous stare from the teen, her voice being barely notable.

"For staying with me." Silence fallowed. "A…and because I…."

"You don't have to apologize for that." he stated. Amu remained motionless, her gaze directed to his chest.

"What I would like to hear though, he whispered, is why you called me stealing ally-cat." He felt her fists pulling away from his chest, but before she could push herself away from his arms, he took her by the chin, raising her head gently to meet his own calm gaze. Amu felt overwhelmed by those piercing eyes and turned helpless in his arms.

"What did I steal from you?" he asked, with a soft yet stern voice.

She couldn't imagine her cheeks getting redder as her heart started beating frantically in her chest, threatening to burst out, like the night before. She felt the familiar knot in her throat disabling her to speak. But the words just barely managed to voice.

"My first….first…k…" the last word died in her throat, but it was enough for Ikuto to hear the first letter to know what she meant. Pulling her closer to him, their nose-tips almost touching, he gently caressed her cheek, before whispering in her ear.

"Want me to steal the second one as well?" Amu felt her whole body filling up with heat, her whole vision receiving a red shade except for the blue orbs sinking themselves into her soul. Not even realizing she had to give an answer, she felt his lips brush against her own. Her arms seemed to act on their own, as one of her arm worked itself up and around his neck, while her spare hand was clutching at his shirt, trying, if possible, to get him even closer to her.

Ikuto licked her lips a little, before his tong managed to penetrate her barrier, teasing her tong and exploring the walls of her sweet and fragile mouth.

Pushing her body against his own, feeling the fragile soft areas of her chest collide with his own upper body, he pressed her against the bed, razing himself above her, not letting her escape from his embrace. Breaking free from their kiss, in order to breath he gazed into her golden eyes, before placing another kiss on her lips, licking his way down her cheek to her neck, where he played as he chose with her soft skin. A soft moan escaped her lips as her grasp unconsciously tightened around his neck. Through the haze, she saw his right ear, underneath his black strains of hair. Moving her lips towards it, she licked it slowly, feeling Ikuto's body shudder. The boy then razed his head and pressed his lips with more passion against those of the girl, capturing her tong from the start. This time, she tried to oppose his control over her, her own tong tangling with his, but faced defeat, as Ikuto rejoiced in feeling her mouth thorough.

Letting his body fall to the side, but still holding the girl to his chest, he ended their kiss, stroking Amu's cheek softly and slowly with his elegant long fingers.

"I'm officially a thief, now. You can call me a stealing ally-cat." he whispered huskily. Amu let her hands embrace his waist and letting her head rest underneath his own, she slowly closed her eyes, baring a flushed and yet content smile on her lips.

"Please be here in the morning." she voiced before falling asleep, rejoicing the warmth his arms provided.

Ikuto couldn't help giving a gentle smile at hearing that request, and resting his head against hers, he fell asleep, capturing the girl with his arms and entangling her legs with his own.

**ok, that was the second chapter. Not to act all important or bossy about it, but the publishing of the next chapter depends on your reviews. Just to know I'm not writing in vain :P...anyway, joke aside, i'm not sure when the next chapter will be published, but, as I said before, there will be a next one. Please r&r, if possible, positive and good reviews :D...and, well, hope you liked it. Next time, the happenings will take place outside, in the open. I kinda exhausted the house, or rather, i've grown bord of it. Well, anyway, dja na...onegai, review!! :) Hope you liked this chapter!! **


	3. Chapter 3

**hello mina! First of all...THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WONDERFUL REVIEWS!! I never had so many reviews for the first two chapters before. I'm so glad you like it. **

**two...well, i staid up all night writing this thing, and i'm extremely tired at the moment...incapable of doing any spelling checks, so you know the old bidding...if there are any mistakes, please bring it to my attention. Also, I appreaciate you taking your time to read my story and helping me with it!! Arrigatou!**

**as a result...due to the possibility that some of you may be dissapointed with this chapter, since it lacks certain...elements...i announce that there will be at least a fourth chapter coming up ( don't know when..but there will be) ...so please don't be too dissapointed ...and no flames...onegai.. - nervous - **

**anyway, here you go, chapter three, enjoy! **

Chapter three

_Her body was light as a feather as she paced through the wide open field. A soft breeze brushed through her free hair, blowing a few stray locks in her face. Before she could reach to brush her hair aside, a delicate hand reached from behind her and stroked her cheek softly. Slowly turning her head, she found herself staring in those enchanting blue orbs that made her melt from within. Ikuto tilted her chin a little higher in order to bring her lips nearer to his, while embracing her waist with his free arm. Amu wanted to sink deeper in his arms, her cheeks blushing furiously. "Ikuto." she found herself calling softly…_

……………………………………………………………………………

"Ikuto." she called again, smiling childishly while determined to hang on to her dream.

"Ikuto." She found herself giggling. She felt the suns raze brush her cheeks, motioning her to awake from her dream, but she roughly closed her eyes, searching her mind for Ikuto's smiling image.

"Ikuto." Amu then sighed.

"What?" she heard a familiar rugged voice call. Her eyes then sprang open, shooting a bewildered and furthermore embarrassed stare at the figure lying beside her. The silhouette in question was wearing a great smug on his face, resting his head against his arm while giving Amu a sly look.

The girl felt her cheeks give an instant blush at realizing that Ikuto had been with her this whole time.

"I… I…" she began mumbling, unable to find something to say that would somehow bring her passed the awkward situation.

"You've got a little…" Ikuto continued, pointing at a corner of her mouth. Amu jumped to her feet, embarrassment visibly present in her actions. It was so not in her character to drool over a boy in her sleep, especially when said boy was watching her. Furiously rubbing her mouth with the back of her sleeve, she almost ignored the ever present smirk on Ikuto's lips. He waited for her to finally quiet down to rise from her bed and make his way out the balcony. With the corner of his eye he caught the dumbstruck look Amu was giving him.

"You asked me to be here in the morning. I was, and now I'm leaving. See ya." He concluded calmly before disappearing, swiftly fallowed by a sleepy Yoru, who just managed not to collide with the window-frame while rubbing his eyes with his puffy paws and suppressing a yawn.

Amu kept staring at her balcony, escaping her daze only with help of her chibi guardians, who, after calling her name three times in a row with no responds, decided to holler in her ear, almost knocking her over.

"You don't need to scream like that!" Amu repelled frustrated. Receiving three giggling remarks, that it had been indeed necessary in return, she marched her way out of her room into the bath-room, closing the door behind her with a loud bang.

………………………………………………………………………………..

It was passed midday and the weather was gratefully cooler than the past week, as a result of last night's storm. Amu once again enclosed herself between the four walls of her room, being far to preoccupied to notice the change in temperature. Another feat of fury hit her as she ripped the paper she was writing on, to shreds and throwing the newly formed paper ball over her shoulder. The ball would have hit the paper-basket if not for the overflowing amount of shredded, cramped-up paper balls already present.

Her parents had arrived a few hours ago and Ami's squeaked singing could be heard from downstairs. For the first time in a period of numerous consecutive years, was Amu not disturbed by her sister's singing. She was down right annoyed by it. And by the fact that she couldn't figure one apparently simple aspect out. "_What in the world was he thinking?" _Amu restrained herself from giving an exhausted and unnerving scream and settled for sighing loudly. Similar to yesterday, every time she closed her eyes, her vision was captured by the all too familiar cat-like blue eyes. But this time, she would feel the urge the clobber him on the head with something, rather than having him near her. The chibis seemed to sense the humongous disturbance in Amu's normally calm line of thought. Hovering next to her they, at first, didn't dare voice their concerns. But at the sight of the overflowing paper-basket, two of them couldn't help give a nervous laugh, while Miki resorted to sighing in despair. The blue chibi scrambling all her courage together, swooped in front of Amu's frustrated gaze, causing the teen to stop her unproductive routine.

"Ano…Amu-chan?" Miki called calmly. But, apparently, hearing someone utter a few words generated Amu to start voicing her confusing thoughts.

"What was he thinking? What was I thinking? It's not like I actually fell in love with him or something! That baka neko-hentai! I do NOT need him to stare at me with his stupid gaze while I'm sleeping! And then the nerve of it! Walking out of my room like that! Who does he think he is? First kissing me like that, and then vanishing just as though he didn't care! I'm the one who doesn't care!" she exhaled.

All three felt their jaws drop at the sight of their fuming fighter. This was indeed not her character.

"I DON'T EVEN LIKE HIM!" Amu hollered desperately, jumping to her feet, knocking the chair on which she sat to the ground.

None of the three guardians could find words to comfort, reason or debate with her. Just then, they heard a beeping sound coming from Amu's desk. Still fuming, Amu snatched her phone, opening it with such fury that the chibis feared the innocent mobile would break in two.

"Saved by the bell." Ran sighed thankfully. Her companions gave a silent nod of agreement.

No matter how angry Amu would get, she would still be able fake a calm state over the phone. Today was not an exception.

"Ohaio Amu-chi!" she heard a ginger voice chirp.

"Yaya-chan?" Amu called surprised. "Ohaio."

"Ne, Amu-chi, wanna go do some shopping? I'm bored stiff! And it's a great weather outside."

"Eto…I don't know." Amu frowned. She was still preoccupied with her Ikuto issue and was aware of the fact that her problems might me easily recognized by her friends. Her fellow guardians had the odd habit of always knowing when she had something on her mind. She wasn't such an obvious person, after all, or so she thought. While her attention was fixed on her conversation with Yaya, Amu failed to notice the radiating smiles that the chibis suddenly acquired. Finally an opportunity to make Amu loosen up a bit. Ran frowned at Amu's reluctance to accept the invitation and a wry smirk that would make Ikuto proud suddenly graced her smile.

"Chara-change!" Ran suddenly erupted.

The hair-pin Amu was holding up her hair with instantly acquired a great red plastic heart.

"Ok, count me in!" Amu chirped. Her outside figure was wearing a wide cheerful smile on her lips, while her inner self felt the urge to strangle someone.

"Sugoi!" Yaya called. "See you in front of the ice-cream store. First thing we should do is try out a new flavor of ice-cream they developed. I've been dying to taste it! See you in an hour then?"

"Sure!" Amu responded.

"Dja na!" Yaya chirped before ending their conversation.

Once Amu closed her phone, she regained her normal character. The pink chibi-guardian found it rather appropriate to hide behind Suu, who was already day-dreaming about the ice-cream she was about to relish.

………………………………………………………………………………..

Ami was just about to start entertaining her parents with yet another song and performance, which she knew they would enjoy beyond belief, when a shrieking scream coming from up-stairs caused her hold back on her desire to enchant. Curiosity overcame her as she turned her attention towards the staircase. Watching her, one would think she was waiting for something to appear in front of her, and so clarify the mysterious calls coming from her sister's room. Just then she heard a door burst open and took a few chibi-paces back, in order to be in a safe position, once the awaited happenings would occur. Just as she'd expected, only seconds after, came Amu's furious scream.

"GET BACK HERE RAN!"

After a series of desperate yells coming from the miniature guardian, crashes indicating Amu's rampaging and sounds of which Ami didn't even want to think about, the girl resorting to just closing her eyes and covering her little ears with her hands while these sounds emerged, she found Amu landing on her behind right on the spot where Ami had just been standing. Watching Amu sorely rub her sore body part, she couldn't help give her sister an enquiring look. Amu, realizing she was been watched, tried her best to stand up without loosing the little dignity she had left and grunted:

"Don't even ask." Ami just nodded energetically, lifting her chubby hand and giving her sister an honorific salutation before directing her attention on finding her parents.

………………………………………………………………………………..

Amu did not know how she got herself sweet-talked in taking Ami with her, or how she ended up buying a humongous batch of ice-cream, leaving her without any money to spare. All she knew is that she was now sitting in front of the ice-cream parlor, watching Ami gobble up her revolutionary flavored ice-cream and waiting for Yaya to finally arrive at their arranged spot. She wanted to give out an extremely loud sigh. Beside the fact that she was tricked in all respects concerning her present situation, the weather had obnoxiously changed to an annoying heat-wave once again. But her mature older sister character would not allow her to complain in front of Ami. Nor would she let herself look troubled in front of Yaya.

The guardians were however in a far better mood than their fighter. Ran and Suu were enjoying the fresh air and the pleasant weather, while Miki was busy sketching the colorful street.

"Amu-chi!" Amu heard a familiar voice squeak. Tracing the pattern of figures rushing around her, she saw Yaya cheerfully smiling at them, while frantically waving her hand from the other side of the street. Little wasn't Amu's surprise two also well-known figures accompany her.

"Kukai? Tadase-kun? What are you guys doing here?" she found herself calling happily at their sight.

"I thought it would be fun to bring them along." Yaya chirped. "Neither of them weren't doing anything important, so…"

All four figures jumped at the sound of Ami's cheerful squeal once she got hold of the three newly arrived guardians.

" Servant! L….l…let GO!" Kiseki managed to holler while trapped in Ami's suffocating embrace. Only after a she gave a few more joyful giggles and rubbed her head against the chibis did the girl decide to accord them temporary freedom.

"I think she's been working out!" Daichi stated while rubbing his sore throat.

"Well then." Kiseki announced after straightening his mantle out and arranging his crown. "Now that we're all present, I think we can open the royal meeting of my loyal servants." At this, all chibis, some half-heartedly, Pepe, Miki and Ami animatedly, razed their hands in agreement. ( a/n - 1 - )

The day was spent marching from one store to another, stopping at either a cafeteria or a juice-bar and trotting along, admiring different animals, toys, keeping Ami from getting lost or Kiseki from attacking a puppy who dared to bark at him impolitely.

Amu hadn't forgotten about her issue with Ikuto, but at meeting with her friends and finally enjoying herself after a whole week of sulking, she put the former burning problem aside, enjoying the after-noon. She sometimes let her gaze wonder towards Tadase and was content to find that she hadn't lost at all interest in the cute prince, even if the little voice inside her head kept hollering at her that she was intentionally lying to herself. Amu didn't even bother listening to it. That voice had been talking nonsense for the past days, anyway. The teen gave a faint nod as to conclude that her judgment, her real judgment was well based and completely true and gave the prince a joyful smile. Her attention was afterwards directed to an object Yaya was pointing out, being too absent-minded to notice Tadase giving a small blush at her smile. When Kukai and Yaya finally started one of their senseless but amusing arguments about the use of a pink bunny-hat, Amu found herself noticing the far too quiet atmosphere surrounding them. Noting the nervous look on Amu's face, the teens then also quieted down.

"Ami?" Amu called, feeling her heart-beat quicken. "Ami! Where are you?"

"The guardians are also gone!" Tadase stated. "They must have gone exploring again." His features showed a slight frown of annoyance. "That Kiseki and his plans!" he sighed, worry beginning to show itself in his tone as well.

The four teens decided to split up and search the surrounding areas. They were to meet in front of the parlor in an hour. Even though she knew Ami to be with the chibis, she couldn't help feeling worried about their well-fair. The last time Ami and the guardians vanished like this, they had been at school. But now, they were in the city. Who knows what could happen to them. Ami could be kidnapped or something of that sort, considering that the guardians were invisible to the public eye. Letting a three-year old wander the streets alone wasn't exactly a smart or safe thing to do. Amu felt her heart clench with every step she took. This was all her fault. She was busy sulking over her own stupid dilemmas instead of taking care of her sister. Loosing Ami did not fit her older sister character at all. Nor would her real character accept such a thing. If something were to happen to Ami or her guardians, neither character would be able to forgive her.

Such thoughts and numerous others were flooding through Amu's head, clouding her vision. Her eyes were set on finding Ami and the chibis, ignoring all other obstacles. It was inevitable for her running in that manner through the streets to not bump into somebody in the end. As a result, she found herself once again rubbing her sore behind, while trying to scramble herself of the ground. Little wasn't her surprise to find Ikuto extending his hand out, helping her to her feet. Giving her an inquiring look, Amu couldn't help bursting out her troubled state.

"Ami's missing! Ikuto, please help me find her!" Amu stated.

Yoru was hanging on to Ikuto's shoulder and apparently searching for the three guardians that usually would accompany the pink-haired teen, he called: 'Ano...where are…"

"They've gone missing as well." Amu called, worry clearly overcoming her sense of pride.

"Who's Ami?" Ikuto asked calmly.

"My…." Amu finally felt the embarrassment getting to her. What would he think of her once he found out that she managed to loose her three-year old sister and guardians in one whim. Clenching her fists, she felt her anger rise. Ami was more important than her stupid pride. "_Are you stupid or something! Who cares about that now!" _"My little sister." Amu then stated after several minutes of silence. She had let her gaze sink to the ground at hearing Ikuto's question. But now was not the time to sulk in self pity. Determination filled her limbs as she gave him a pleading look. "Are you gonna help?"

Ikuto watched the now trembling girl for a while without saying a word. Amu felt something in her break when seeing him turn her back on her. But before she could say anything more, he kneeled down, placing his hands on his back. His feline features magically appeared on his head,

"Get on. We'll cover more ground this way." Amu froze, staring at the neko-like figure as if she'd see him for the first time in her life. Only when receiving an annoyed glance from Ikuto did she manage to snap out of her daze.

"Just to let you know, you owe me for this." she heard him state as they started sprinting through the alleys. Amu couldn't help give an annoyed grunt. "I'll buy you some cat-nap later." she frowned. "But let's just find them first."

……………………………………………………………………………..

Ami and the guardians were blissfully unaware of the teens' worried condition. What they were aware of however, were the couple of bull-dogs chasing after them. Ami found her little feet unable to sustain her need to run away. Before she knew it, she found herself lying on the ground, hearing the dogs nearing their pray. Just as she was about to start crying she felt a light wind pass her by. Blinking confused, she raised her head to see that the horrifying animals had simply ignored her and continued to chase the guardians.

"RETREAT!" she could hear Kiseki yell.

"WE ARE RETREATING!" Daichi hollered. All six chibis were far too terrified by their demon-like chasers to notice that their path of escape formed a circle, enclosing Ami in it. And so Ami found herself following the eight figures run around aimlessly, her stomach slowly feeling uncomfortable by the never-ending circling.

Step by step, each guardian found its limits and was unable to flee anymore from their hounded terror. The dogs however were apparently in perfect shape, continuing their lap around Ami, even ignoring the five guardians who had halted in mid-air, panting heavily. The only one still flying around, and apparently the true aim of the four-legged monsters, was Kiseki. His companions watched their leader attempting to escape the feared dogs, hovering dumbfounded in place. Only when they saw Ami faint from nausea did they escape their daze and made their way towards the chibi.

"Ami!" Amu's sudden cry made all five figures turn their attention towards the two figures emerging from one of the alleys. Yoru decided to stay a far distance away from the awkward display between Kiseki and the dogs. But that did not keep him from staring dumbfounded at the ridiculous scene before him. Trying as hard as it was possible for the little neko not to burst out in laughter, Yoru pressed his furry paws against his mouth, his cheeks already gaining a pink glow from the air he was holding back. Ikuto, on the other hand, resorted to blinking a few times at the display, following Amu's actions afterwards. The pink-haired teen was also at first taken aback by the unusual escape routine, but as she noted Ami's little body lying motionless on the ground, forgot about the display completely. Cradling the little chibi in her arms, she couldn't even conceive a notion of what to do next. ()

………………………………………………………………………………

Amu let herself drop on her bed in exhaustion, too tired to even open her eyes, let alone get into her pajamas or switch the light off.

After she had recovered Ami and the chibis, and been reassured by Ikuto's calm voice that Ami had just gotten sick from the dog's constant running around, did they manage to find their way home. Amu had also met up with her friends in the settled place, escorting the three guardians to their fighters. Kukai, Tadase and Yaya were relieved to find their companions safe and sound. Kiseki had been the only one unable to rejoice in the reunion due to the loss of his precious mantle. Even though it was necessary for him to leave it as bait for the dogs, who instantly tore it to pieces, did he regret having to give up such a treasured item. He failed to notice that, if he hadn't proceeded in that manner, he would still be flying around in circles. Even with Daichi stating it out, Kiseki remained with the conviction, that it had been some kind of conspiracy to steal his precious mantle away from him. Apart from that, everything went quite smoothly afterwards. Ikuto had helped her carry Ami back home, Ami herself sleeping like a baby in his arms until they reached Amu's house. Yoru had barely escaped Ami's attempt to embrace him as well and before Amu could open the door, the two cat-like figures had already disappeared from sight.

Her three guardians were, similar to Amu, too tired to even crawl into their shells. But after lying motionless, with the light destroying any frail attempt of falling asleep, Miki finally decided to hover towards Amu and motion her to her feet.

The teen gave an annoyed grunt at first, turning her back on the blue chibi.

"Amu-chan!" Miki frowned. "Get up!" she started hollering. Her companions were apparently already asleep. As such, it was too late for her to ask them to assist her in waking Amu. But, to her and the girl's great surprise, was the teen instantly brought to her feet by a soft tapping on her window –frame.

Amu's eyes widened as she realized just who that tapping came from. Sprinting to her feet, she quickly opened the doorframe to find the expected cat-like silhouette. She noted that Ikuto hadn't changed his cat-like form yet, his sleep tail curling slowly behind him, as he stood in front of her, resting against the frame.

"You owe me." Came his curt responds to Amu's unvoiced question.

"I told you I would buy you some cat-nap later." Amu uttered, unnerved by Ikuto's sudden presence. If she had learned anything from the past nights, it was that each time the cat-like figure set foot in her room, he would end up spending the night there with her. Even though half of her being basically screamed at her to let him in, the rational side of her, the one she attributed to her cool, proud character, won the battle of her decision to not, under any circumstances, let him in her room tonight.

She felt her heart start to loose control over its beats as she noticed Ikuto's smirk, his blue eyes already making her head weary. She tried shaking her head roughly, intending to snap out of the well known hypnotic gaze. Little wasn't her surprise to feel Ikuto's delicate hand slightly tilting her chin. Once again, she felt her entire being melt while gazing into those cool blissful eyes. Their lips inches apart, she heard him whisper. "I'll be here tomorrow night to collect my reward." Her cheeks starting burning again. Ikuto however didn't move into a kiss, but let his fingers stray over her soft cheeks, before…

Amu jumped, her hand instantly reaching towards her ear. Her cheeks turned, if possible even redder at realizing that that _neko-hentai, had once again managed to bight her ear! _Wanting to scowl at the teen, she ran on to her balcony, unfortunately unable to find a trace of Ikuto, or his giggling companion. Letting her hand drop beside her body, she stood there motionless, Ikuto's rugged voice flooding every inch of her mind.

**a/n 1 : i know these meetings shouldn't take place without nadeshiko's guardian, but...since she's away and all, and the guardians all know that and accepted it, i found it acceptable as well...i don't know...or i just love to see Kiseki start ordering around...and getting it back :P..i know poor kiseki...it's not like i have something against the poor chibi..i like him!! i just needed a victim and he was the perfect character :D **

**a/n 2 ...more about why exactly the dogs were chasing the chibis will be presented in later chapters :) **

**...ok, so...eheheh - please no flames... -shaking - i know it's not the best ending,but butbut,it'll be better next time...promise!! so ..emm...review...please! To know that I'm not writing the next chapter in vain :P dja na **


	4. Chapter 4

**My dear friends, long time no see! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE BRILLIANT REVIEWS!! First of all I'd like to say that, thanks to those reviews, I managed to start and finish this chapter in such a short time. I actually intended on writing it till the end of the week, but, while reading your reviews I couldn't help but start writing.:) so Arrrigatou. This is probably the longest chapter I have ever written and also THE LAST CHAPTER OF THIS STORY. But, I am intending to start a new shugo-chara fic...but after i have seen more new episodes. Anyway, here you go, chapter 4. Please enjoy and r&r. Onegai!! -oh...again I must ask...please forgive me for any spelling mistakes...again I am at 3 in the morning still before my computer and tiping this...so ...ehehe...too tired to double check it. :) well...here you go: **

Chapter 4

"Ikuto! " Utau hollered as her gaze met the lazy stare of the tall cat-like figure. Ikuto had been walking down the street, his eyes directed towards the grey cement his feet were so swiftly walking over, when the all too known squeal made him turn his head absentmindedly in the blonde's direction. He immediately was tackled and slammed to the ground, Utau squeezing his waist with inhuman strength.

"Get off me." Ikuto moaned calmly, at which the blonde could only shake her locks and persist in her excruciating embrace. Utau's manager could only sigh at the seen before her, as she was just a few minutes ago talking to a composed cool insensitive, almost lifeless but obedient blonde starlet. Now, the animated display of one-sided affection not only didn't cope with her new plans, but also irritated Yukari in the utmost manner. Giving herself a mental kick in her behind for not paying any attention to the surroundings while talking with Utau and also, not remembering the fact that she hadn't given Utau the opportunity to see Ikuto at all in the past two weeks, she frowned and waited for Ikuto to succeed in pushing the blonde starlet away from him.

"What are you doing here?" Ikuto asked calmly, while holding Utau with one hand in a safe distance away from his waist. That didn't prevent the idol to continue on squealing and waving her hands frantically through the air.

"We were just on our way to Easter." Yukari sighed. "I suppose you are doing the same?" she then frowned.

"No." Ikuto simply stated, lowering his hand as Utau had finally regained composer. Il, Utau's devil character had up till now sweat-dropped at the animated Utau, but now as her guardian had returned to her calm state, she hovered above the starlet's shoulder, giving an annoyed stare at the cat-like figure.

"You haven't been doing anything for Easter, lately." The devil-chara stated.

"And you're problem is?" Yoru asked bluntly, his paws under his head, as he lazily flouted next to Ikuto's shoulder.

"She has a point." Yukari added a sly smirk on her lips. "I hope you haven't forgotten your duty towards the company." She uttered.

Ikuto tilted his head towards the red-head, his eyes narrowed, yet without any expression of annoyance or anger on his features.

"No, I haven't." he returned bluntly, continuing his pacing and passing by the annoyed manager, who stared at the back of his head, throwing mental daggers at the sleek figure. Utau, just watched the one she loved so dearly slowly disappear from sight, her fist clenched to her chest. _"Ikuto…"_ Suddenly, another thought came into her head, making her eyes narrow and Il give a devilish snigger. _"Hinamori Amu! I will not loose to you! Never! Ikuto is mine!" _At that, she curtly turned her head towards the menacing building dominating her sight and started walking towards it with secure or rather angry steps. "Let's go." she replied shortly at which her manager could only stare in surprise. Later, as she fallowed her starlet into the building, she gave a small smirk at acknowledging the cause of Utau's new determined state. _"Maybe having her meat Ikuto isn't such a bad idea after all." _

……………………………………………………………………………….

Meanwhile, Amu glared at her image in the mirror for the sixth time that day, annoyed by the grey circles under her eyes. She hadn't been able to get one wink of sleep last night. Again, she felt the urge to strangle a certain cat-like figure. Amu blamed the sleek teenager for causing her to have a nightmare, and so robbing her of her well-earned good night's sleep. Of course, there was the little ever-present voice inside her that pleaded for the fact that she was actually nervous in regards of the following night but Amu quickly dispatched that petit mental voice with an imaginary plaster over the voice's mouth. Although she could still hear light whispers, noting that maybe she would have slept better with Ikuto by her side, like the other two nights before, she apparently gotten used to his warmth engulfing her, she shook her head roughly and slammed the bath-room door behind her, with a powerful house-shaking bang. Ran and Suu could only watch her change and get ready to meet her fellow guardians with a concerned gaze, but Miki knew apparently better than to pity the girl. The blue chibi just smiled while scribbling once again a fresh sketch on her drawing-book.

Amu had finally finished preparing for her day out and was on her way to exit her room when she noted all her three chibi-guardians staring at Miki's sketch-book. Ran and Miki giggled delighted while Suu had her little hand clasped against her mouth, her cheeks burning brightly.

"What is it, you three?"

"Nothing!" All three jumped, Miki quickly putting her sketch-book away and giving the frowning teen a wide grin. Amu could only shake her head and open the door. "Come on." She sighed.

"Hai!" All three squealed happily.

………………………………………………………………………………..

Amu had decided the day before to meet with her fellow guardians and Kukai that afternoon and investigate the circulating rumors of a large amount of x-eggs present throughout the city. Little did she know of the enquiry that awaited her once she met with the wide eyed Yaya, Kukai and the apparently annoyed Tadase.

"Ano, Amu-chan?" Yaya began, "what happened yesterday exactly?"

Amu gave an innocent stare at her fellow guardians.

"What are you talking about?" All the while her inner-self was sweat-dropping and preparing for the worst.

Before Yaya could continue, a bright light appeared around Tadase, a royal crown appearing on the blonde's head, and a wild fire started burning in his eyes. Kiseki quickly followed the angry king and both started rampaging, leaving all three companions to stare and sweat-drop at their royal dictator.

"Tsukiyomi Ikuto will be sentenced to death! He has breached our defenses far too many times! Tadase shouted.

"And he failed to save my royal mantle!" Kiseki added a similar angry flame visible in his eyes.

Eto….did anybody say prince?" Amu uttered while watching the king continue his royal sentencing.

"Ie, I think he chara-changed on his own." Yaya responded, equally off-guard at the king's sudden transformation.

"Tonikaku…." Kukai then concluded, grabbing the prince by the collar and thrusting a paper-bag on his head, leaving him to cool off, "could you tell us what really happened yesterday, cause all our guardians started telling different stories."

Amu blinked a few times before shrugging and answering in a cool and content voice:

"I bumped into Ikuto when I searched for Ami and, since I couldn't chara-change, and seeing that Ikuto was able to transform, I asked him to help me in my search. When we finally found Ami and the shugo-charas, Kiseki was being chased by a couple of bulldogs, while the others and Ami were on the ground exhausted or sick, given by the circumstances."

"Soka!" Yaya stated, so you don't know what happened before."

"Not really, no. And I was really tired yesterday, dakara….I didn't ask Ran and the others about it. Gomen."

"Daidjobu." Yaya concluded. "We were just wandering if the happenings were related somehow with all those x-eggs."

"Yeah, Kukai then continued, Kiseki started yelling about Ikuto hunting down character-eggs and we thought you might know something about it."  
"Tonikaku…" Tadase then uttered, after he finally regained his normal state, we should look around and search for any x-eggs.

As the group started their search, they couldn't help overhearing Kiseki's discontent mumbles and curses, but decided to ignore them. The other shugo-charas, especially Miki were paying great attention to their king's dissatisfaction. That did not mean, however, that they agreed or even cared about his discontent state.

"My royal mantle was taken hostage by that Yoru and his devil servants. The search for the embryo is put aside. Our number one situation is now to find my mantle." Miki approved with a beaming smile but the other characters weren't that delighted about their new plan of attack.

"Ano, ne…"Ran remarked "I don't remember Yoru having anything to do with those bulldogs chasing us."

"Soda ne!" Suu added, "Weren't you the one who started pounding those pooches on their noses for growling at you? Yoru wasn't even there."

Daichi frowned. "And then you started yelling at them and making faces at them."

"So desu!" Pepe nodded. "You're behavior was very immature."  
"Look who's talking!" Kiseki frowned.

"But he does have a point though." Ran uttered, her mind wondering to the day before. "If I remember well, you took the food away from under their noses. Those dogs were so angry that they managed to escape their chains and started chasing us. So, all in all…."  
All four chibi-guardians gave Kiseki an annoyed glare. "It was all your fault." All said in unison. Miki hovered in the middle, between the two debating parties, that is between the four chibi-guardians and Kiseki, shifting her gaze from her fellow "servants" to the furious king. Shaking her head she sighed deeply, before floating to Amu's side and concentrating on their search for the x-eggs.

……………………………………………………………………………….

Ikuto intended on spending his day in the park, lying silently in the grass, and enjoying the tranquility surrounding him. He tried his best and succeeded in ignoring Yoru's animated calls.

"Ikuto! Ikuto! Let's play nja." As the chibi-neko concluded that his master had no intention of paying him any attention, he gave a curt sigh before landing next to Ikuto's ear and putting his puffy paws under his head, closing his brown golden eyes, intending to do exactly like his master: lie around like a lazy cat, doing nothing.

Just then he sensed the presence of numerous other shugo-charas and a more rotten presence.

"X-tamago!" Yoru squealed, taking into the air before Ikuto could knock him on the head for yelling in his ear. Lazily rising to his feet, he opened his eyes and searched the surroundings for any sign of character eggs. Just then he saw a main of pink hair moving away from him, accompanied by three other silhouettes.

………………………………………………………………………….

"Yaya!" Amu called at the transformed baby-character, who was aiming at the x-marked egg with her gigantic rattle.

"Hai!" Yaya called, trying to knock the egg out of its orbit. The egg however skillfully dodged the baby's attack, causing Yaya to stumble and fall on her behind. Immediately an ear-screeching cry erupted from the baby-chara.

Amu couldn't help but give a nervous laugh at the display before her but at Kukai's request, she continued chasing the marked egg, leaving the sporty boy to take calm Yaya down with a lollypop. Tadase had managed to capture the egg in his golden beam but feeling a certain presence near him he turned around, yelping in surprise thus loosing control over the beam and letting the egg escape.

"Yo." was the only thing Ikuto could say, smirking at the fuming prince.

Amu arrived just in time to trap the egg, using the humpty lock to transform into Amulet-heart and healed the tamago, all the while too concentrated on the task at hand to notice the feline character present.

As she then finally regained her normal outside aspect, Amu saw the prince and Ikuto in a feverish fight. Although she wouldn't describe it as a fight, rather a one-sided attempt to battle. Whiles the prince threw golden beams at the cat-like figure and flung at him every time he could seize a chance to attack Ikuto, the older teen on the other hand evaded every single attack, an entertained smirk present on his features.

"Ano….: Amu mumbled, not knowing what to do next. Suddenly, she felt Ikuto's gaze fall on her and sensed her whole body freeze. Before Tadase could do anything to retain him, Ikuto promptly disappeared from his view and landed before Amu, smirking at her.

"Ohaio." He muttered simply, but Amu could tell that he was very amused by their meeting there.

"O…." Amu intended to greet back when a sudden angry yell made her wince.

"IEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

Turning her head to see the actual source of that ear-shattering yell, although she could pretty much tell from the tone who the owner of that angry cry was, she saw Utau with her devil-wings flapping furiously. This was the second time Amu received such a fiery glare today, at which she could only take a few steps back and give a nervous laugh.

"Eto…." Amu started laughing nervously but fell silent when she felt Ikuto's arm rap around her shoulders and pulling her towards him, Ikuto resting his chin on her shoulders.

"I should be going now, I'll see you tonight." he said ruggedly before releasing her and intending to spring away, his cat-like features appearing instantly.

"NANI!" Utau cried incredulously. That was all it took to make her burn with anger and flung at the pink-haired teenager.

"Dji…djigauio!! Utau-chan, wait..I….I….!" Amu started muttering desperately, waving it all off. But she quickly concluded that Utau was too deep in her fury to even hear her, and started dodging her powerful attacks.

"Utau, that's enough!" Yukari stated.

The idol immediately interrupted her attack, but couldn't help clenching her fists and glaring at the guardian.

All Amu could do was stare at the devilish blond and feel her own anger-flame starting to rise. Another image of her strangling Ikuto appeared before her eyes and she couldn't help clenching her own fists at the thought of what she would to do that neko-hentai if he dared to appear at her window-frame and ruin the rest of her day again.

………………………………………………………………………………

As the sun set, Amu retained herself from giving a deep sigh because of her friends, who were quite in an animated mood due to the successful capture of the x-egg.

After countless warnings and threats from Utau and Yukari's side, the two Easter employees left the four guardians in an unnerving state of anger. Yet, two of them cooled down quickly. In Yaya's case, she was too concerned on what kind of cake to eat once she got home to give any more thoughts to Utau's menacing glares. Kukai's thoughts were already directed towards his next soccer game. Only Tadase was still wearing a deep frown on his face.

Amu had also managed to regain her calm outer appearance and enjoying Yaya's childish giggling about her favorite chocolate cake, she noticed Tadase's worried look.

"Tadase-kun, daidjobu?" Amu asked, giving the blond bishonen a friendly smile. The prince raised his gaze towards the pink haired teen and acknowledging her gentle intention, returned her smile, at which the teen felt her cheeks catch a light flame.

"Hai arrigatou." He responded. "Demo … is Tsukiyomi Ikuto causing you any trouble?" the prince inquired worried. "Please, let me help. I don't want him to bother you. Hinamori-san, don't hesitate to ask me for help."

Amu's eyes gained a heart-shape, through which she started seeing glistering stars and hearts circling the blond teen. Her cheeks caught a red shade as she, as if in a trance, nodded robotically. Just when she was about to accept Tadase's help, Ikuto-s image appeared in front of her eyes. Blinking the image quickly away, she shook her head in order to snap out of her trance and uttered.

"Ie. I'm fine. Arrigatou."

Still, Tadase's worried gaze made the pink shade return to her cheeks.

"Very well." he concluded gently, "but if you ever need my help, please don't hesitate to ask."

"Hai" Amu chirped completely dazed.

………………………………………………………………………………...

The stars were already gracing the night sky with their tender light as Amu arrived in her room, closing the door gently behind her. Her chibi-guardians hovered near her as she sat herself on her bed, clasping her cheeks with her hands. Letting herself fall back on her bed, she started dreaming about Tadase holding her hand and promising her his services. Even though Ikuto's image stubbornly interrupted her dream, she continued on attempting to block his blue eyes out of her mind.

"Amu-chan, daidjobu?" Ran and Suu enquired, watching their guardian clench her fists and jump to her feet while glaring at the window frame.

"Well, more lovers do generate concern to appear and make the heart be troubled." Miki concluded all-knowingly.

"Nani!" Amu cried once she acknowledged what Miki had just said. At realizing that she had just shrieked like one of Tadase's fan-girls, she shrugged and continued calmly.

"It's not like I was tormented about anything in particular. Besides, I don't even like Ikuto. I like his violin-music, but no more. Why would I be concerned?"

"Uso dayo." Miki stated, giving Amu a blunt glare. Amu was just about to counter her blue-chibi guardian when she noticed Ran and Suu wearing the same blunt gaze.

"On whose side are you guys on anyway?" Amu mumbled. At once, all three chibis smiled, retaining themselves from laughing at Amu's annoyed stare. Suddenly, all three chibi-guardians turned their gazes upon the farthest corner of the room. Amu watched them sweat-drop and gave a confused frown. Turning her head in the direction the chibis were looking, her face went instantly blank. There in the darkest corner of her room, sat the all too well known sleek cat-light figure, his cat tale curling.

"I…I…IKUTO!!" Amu found herself hollering. "What….why….how did you get into my room?" she gasped, her state swaying between anger and surprise.

Ikuto raised his hand slowly and pointed towards the window frame.

"You left it open."

Amu kept herself from falling over, giving herself a mental kick due to her lack of observation and attentiveness. Shrugging, she recalled the anger she had felt earlier for the cat-like figure, and narrowing her eyes she started marching towards the calm silhouette.

"What was that for?" she called furiously, clenching her fists. "Utau started attacking me like mad back there!"

"So why didn't you hit back." Ikuto stated as a matter of factly, keeping his gaze lazily glued to the ground.

"I don't want to fight Utau! And stop teasing Tadase-kun!"

"Ah, so you're worried about the little prince." He smirked.

"No!" Amu responded, her cheeks catching a pink shade. Although it was faint, Ikuto's eyes immediately spotted the sudden change in her skin tent. Slowly rising to his feet, he straightened up, putting one hand on his hip, using the other to rest against the wall, imprisoning Amu against his chest and the wall.

"You know, you should worry more about yourself than that little brat-prince." Ikuto whispered ruggedly, gazing into Amu's golden eyes and smirking at the red that erupted in Amu's cheeks.

………………………………………………………………………………..

Utau gazed upon the colorful sight of Tokyo being flooded with light from different buildings and the Tokyo tower from the upper floor of the Easter building. Frowning, she crossed her arms and gave her manager an impatient stare.

"Are you sure he'll come?" Utau called angrily.

"I talked to him two hours ago, Utau." Yukari waved her angry glare off, resting her face against her hand, as she rested her elbow on the desk before her. "I told him to show up at 8. That was half an hour ago. You know how he is. He's probably on a roof somewhere sulking around."

Utau glared at the colorful scenery and couldn't help but bury her thrust her fingernails in her palm. _Hinamori Amu. I will not loose to you!_

………………………………………………………………………………...

Amu swallowed hard before squirming her way out of her imprisoned situation and walking away from the smirking Ikuto, who had turned back to normal, Yoru hovering towards the other shugo-charas.

"Yo!" Yoru greeted, raising his furry paw and smiling. At this, Miki gave a faked discontent sigh and added: Here comes another restless night. And I really wanted Amu to get some sleep tonight." Amu's eyes widened at hearing Miki's little commentary. She turned towards her blue guardian who was grinning from ear to ear, while her other two chibi-guardians were giggling cheerfully. The teen opened her mouth to rebel against that false accusation, but despite the fact that her words apparently were stuck in her throat and unable to come to light, Miki had decided to add another final statement.

"Well, we want to catch some sleep so we'll just go ahead and turn in for the night. Oyasumi!" she called, before hovering towards her egg-shell, her fellow companions following her, a grand smile plastered on each of their faces. "Oi, mate!" Yoru cried, fallowing the blue chibi.

"You can sleep outside, baka-neko." Miki grunted, hitting Yoru in the head with her pouch. Yoru rubbed his throbbing head with his puffy paw softly, hovering for a few moments in the air. Just then he noticed the egg-case starting to close. Clasping all his might together he flew inside just before the case had closed, and making himself comfortable next to Miki-s egg, he gave her a radiating smile before wishing her sweet dreams. Miki frowned, a notable pink shade flooding her cheeks as she closed her egg-shell with a great clasp. "Oyasumi" she grunted back.

Amu couldn't believe her chibi-guardians. Just as she was about to holler at the shugo-charas, she heard Ikuto remark with delight:

"A restless night, ne?"

Amu froze in her movement, trying as hard as she could not to blush. "Ie! I slept like a baby last night." She uttered calmly, crossing her arms and frowning. She didn't dare look in Ikuto's direction but could hear his soft foot-steps as he neared her.

"Nani?' she enquired coolly, still not able to raise her gaze. A serene silence dominated her room, but within her she could feel her heart racing, generating a thumping noise to swirl through her entire body. Both silhouettes stood one in front of another, Amu still frowning, her eyes now closed while Ikuto gazed at her calmly. Just when she had had about enough of the silent treatment, she felt Ikuto cup her cheeks in his hands. Her eyes sprang opened as she faced his blue orbs. Ikuto couldn't help give another smirk at the warmth radiating from Amu's cheeks once they acquired a deeper shade of red. "You know you owe me." He whispered. "Where's my catnip?"

Amu blinked twice before she finally realized what he had just said. Taking a few steps back and pulling out of Ikuto's hands, she stared at the boy dumbfounded.

"Catnip?" she repeated, unable to comprehend. Shaking her head again, she wanted to kick herself for thinking that Ikuto might want to….

"You didn't bring any, did you?" He uttered, almost disappointed. "And I even gave you a day's time to buy some." He sighed, now sinking his hands in his pockets.

Amu couldn't help lowering her head and giving a nervous laughter. "Soka…" she sweat-dropped. Silence roamed between them. As she razed her gaze, she saw him staring out at the window. Apparently, he had seriously intended to ask her for catnip. She retained herself from giving an ironic laugh but gave Ikuto a warm smile. "Gomene, I completely forgot, but I can buy you some tomor…"

"I guess I'll have to make well with something else then." Ikuto stated bluntly, interrupting her. Before Amu could even consider rebelling against his actions, he quickly embraced her waist, raising her chin and pressing his lips against her own. Amu's eyes widened unbelievingly as she felt his tongue caressing her lips. Her eyes slowly fell shut as she gave him entrance, Ikuto having his way in exploring her mouth and curling around her own tongue. He only pulled away when they both were out of breath. Still dazed from the kiss, Amu felt her body being lifted up in his arms, as he carried her out on the balcony and jumping swiftly from the railing to the roof, he sprang from one house to the other until they reached the roof of one ten stories high building. As he put Amu down, the girl could only marvel at the sight before her. " Kire!" Amu called, her eyes sparkling with admiration.

"I'm happy you like it." Ikuto stated, gazing at her pink locks.

Amu felt the night's breeze blow though her hair, pushing some stray locks in her face. As she then reached to put them aside, she felt Ikuto's arms curl around her waist. Turning around she watched his calm face as he pressed his cheek against her hair and gazed at the lights of the city.

"I always get paid, you know." She heard him whisper before being whisked into his arms again and feeling his warm lips brushing against hers. Clinging onto his shirt, she leaned into the kiss, again submitted to his will. Now, there was no trace of the prince's image in her mind, as she rested her head against Ikuto's shoulder, her eyes tightly closed as though this would be yet again a dream and she feared that she would wake from it and find it all to be just an illusion. They remained there for a little while until Amu began to shudder from the cold night air, although she didn't mind Ikuto's arms being the ones warming her.

As they returned to her room, the door frame being left open as they left, Ikuto carried Amu to her bed and laid her on the soft sheets. Just as he was about to exit her room, he gazed upon the stars once more and smirked. He turned around and swiftly landed on the bed next to Amu, who was watching him with eyes as wide as saucers.

"Do you mind me letting a stray cat spend the night here?" he enquired.

Amu could barely speak but nodding her head in agreement that he could stay she felt her heart almost explode in her chest once more, as Ikuto took her in his arms, his chin resting on her head and pressing her against his chest he whispered:

"Oyasumi Amu."

The girl still clung to his clothes until she fel asleep, her cheeks regaining their normal color. Ikuto hadn't fallen asleep yet and raising his head to gaze at the tranquile girl, he couldn't help but smile gently. Lightly pressing his lips against those of the girl, he caressed her cheeks with one hand while holding Amu with the other tightly against his chest.

……………………………………………………………………………

Well past midnight, Ikuto rose from Amu's bed and walked out on the balcony, closing the window-frame after him, with Yoru hovering at his side.

"That was fun, nja!" Yoru smiled content. "Demo ne, we can't come back here for a while now, nja?"

"That's right." Ikuto agreed calmly. Turning his gaze towards the one sleeping inside the house, still curled together as if embraced by someone, he smiled again. " Probably till summer vacation ends."

"Too bad nja." Yoru sighed, his cat-ears hanging a little. Ikuto smirked, patting his little neko-guardian on the head.

"Now, now, Yoru. Have patience." Ikuto grunted, while jumping on to the railing and giving Amu one more glance, he disappeared into the night, his little companion resting on his shoulder.

Inside the house, Amu was sound asleep unaware of Ikuto's departure. Turning on the other side, she squeezed her blanket to her chest.

"Ikuto…"she mumbled in her sleep, a smile and a blush gracing her tender features.

A paper was set apon her desk which Amu would soon discover in the morning. It was the same paper at which her guardians were giggling at that very morning. Miki had surprised both Ikuto and Amu while they were sleeping the other night, and had decided on making them a souvenir. The sketch showed Amu tucked in Ikuto's embrace, while the boy, holding her tender against his chest placed a soft kiss upon her fore-head.

**Very well, my friends, I hope you liked my fic. Please review! I dearly hope you enjoyed my story and I awaite your reviews in other stories. Till then, c'ya around :)**


End file.
